monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

President Trump attacked NBC News on Wednesday, dismissing as “pure fiction” an explosive report that he had sought a massive increase in the nation's nuclear arsenal.

On Twitter, Trump also raised the possibility that he would support stripping the broadcast licenses of news networks that report what he believes to be inaccurate information. The tweets came after NBC News reported that Trump purportedly told senior national security advisers during a meeting last summer that he favored what amounted to nearly a tenfold increase in nuclear weapons.

They are employers with contracts. Free speech laws don’t mean there aren’t conditions of employment that may lead to your unemployment when you legally exercise your right to speak.

Supporting detail.

The #takeaknee protest is producing action on the part of the NFL and communities. Yesterday the NFL announced that they will be working more closely with the players and communities to bring social change, and raise even more awareness of injustices. So far it’s just words, but the peaceful, respectful, protest is starting to produce results. Sports and players aren’t perfect, but often athletes have helped pave the way to changes in America. Glad to NFL is making some changes in response.

The letter from the NFL also said, “The controversy over the anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues.” It’s important to note that this is by design from people who don’t think there is anything wrong with racial inequalities in America and that minorities of all stripes are not under attack. They’ve tried to make the issue about the flag and not about what the players are protesting. It’s not going to work. The league and the communities the league is active in now understand and have been pressured into responding.

Well, I hope you are right. So far, it looks and smells like stifling freedom of speech to me. But if you are right, and there is really something similar to breast cancer awareness for black men being murdered by police with no consequences, then, I am glad those players took a knee.

A number of senior Labour politicians have signed a letter to Theresa May calling for Harvey Weinstein to be stripped of his CBE.

The Hollywood producer, who has been fired from the Weinstein Company following a number of allegations of harassment from women in the movie industry, received the honour at an investiture ceremony at the residence of the British consul general in New York in 2004.

Mrs May has already expressed "concern" about the accusations but said it was not a matter for Downing Street.

An open letter to the Prime Minister has been signed by shadow industrial strategy minister Chi Onwurah, shadow minister for labour Jack Dromey, shadow secretary of state for women and equalities Dawn Butler, shadow arts and heritage minister Kevin Brennan and the head of the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party, Jess Phillips.

The letter describes the accusations against Mr Weinstein as "unacceptable and intolerable" and says keeping his honorary CBE in place risks "bringing the honours system into disrepute".